Linda Akutagawa

Linda Akutagawa is President and CEO of LEAP (Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics), where she is responsible for LEAP’s strategic direction, sustainability, relationships and collaborations. A passionate social entrepreneur for over 25 years and beneficiary of LEAP’s leadership programming, Ms. Akutagawa is an advocate for diversity and believer in the value and urgent need for diverse, equitable, and inclusive leadership. She has dedicated herself to continuing the cycle of leadership development and inspiring Asian and Pacific Islanders to step up to leadership roles across sectors, industries, and communities. She is a nationally recognized speaker and facilitator on leadership, diversity, equity, and inclusion, nonprofits, and board governance. In her role as an advocate for diverse corporate boards, Ms. Akutagawa is the Chair of the Alliance for Board Diversity of which LEAP is a partner organization. She is an appointed member of the California Department of Insurance (CDI) Diversity Task Force and a member of the Asian/Asian American Institute Advisory Board at California State University at Los Angeles. Linda is also active in the community as a Board member of Japanese American Community Services (JACS), a community grantmaking organization and a Board member of the Asian Pacific Planning and Policy Council (A3PCON). Linda received her B.S. in International Business with a minor in Economics from California State University at Los Angeles. She also has a Certificate in Nonprofit Board Consulting through Boardsource.